Family Matters: Healing and Hope in God’s Family

God’s vision for family is far bigger than our biological connections—it’s about being adopted into His family through Jesus. From the very beginning, God wove the theme of family throughout Scripture, not as a perfect, unblemished unit, but as a collection of broken, flawed people whom He loves and redeems. Our biological families shape us, for better or worse, and we all carry stories—some inspiring, some painful—that influence who we become. Yet, while our past always influences us, it never has to determine our future. God’s invitation is to step into a new family, one where our brokenness is not hidden but transformed.

We all have “Freddies” and “Tommys” in our lives—people who are easy to love and those who challenge us deeply. Our desire to be liked, our struggles with relationships, and the baggage we carry from our families of origin are universal. But God’s family is not about pretending we have it all together. Instead, it’s about bringing our fractured pieces to Jesus, who alone can make us whole. The story of Scripture is not just about the first family’s failure, but about God’s relentless pursuit to reconcile and restore. Through Christ, the walls of hostility are broken down, and we are united as one new people, regardless of our backgrounds.

The church is called to display God’s wisdom and love in all its diversity. Like the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is mended with gold to highlight its history, God wants to take our cracks and make them beautiful, not by hiding them, but by letting His grace shine through them. Healing and restoration come as we embrace atonement (forgiveness), attunement (a new way of thinking), and attachment (safe, vulnerable community). We don’t just attend church; we are the family of God, called to participate, engage, and display His work to the world. When we receive the love and healing God offers, we become able to share it with others, changing lives and bringing hope. Each of us is an essential piece in this mosaic of grace—when we show up, engage, and participate, we help make the family whole.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Brokenness is not the end of the story Our families and personal histories are often marked by pain, dysfunction, and brokenness. Yet, God’s story is one of redemption—He takes our fractured pieces and, through Christ, creates something beautiful. We are not defined by our past, but by the hope and restoration found in God’s family. [51:03]
• 2. Unity in diversity is God’s design God’s family is intentionally diverse, bringing together people from different backgrounds, cultures, and stories. The church is called to display this unity, not by erasing differences, but by reconciling them through Christ. Our unity is a testimony to the world of God’s wisdom and love. [54:36]
• 3. Healing requires forgiveness, new thinking, and safe community True restoration comes through atonement (embracing forgiveness), attunement (shifting our mindset), and attachment (creating safe, vulnerable spaces). These are not quick fixes, but ongoing practices that allow us to move beyond our past and experience genuine healing in God’s family. [64:21]
• 4. Participation is essential to wholeness Being part of God’s family is not a passive experience. Each person is a vital piece of the whole, and when we engage, participate, and bring our true selves, the family becomes complete. Our presence and vulnerability are necessary for the church to fully display God’s work in the world. [70:03]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Introduction to Family Matters Series
• [02:10] - God’s Family: Adoption and Identity
• [04:30] - The Influence of Our Family Stories
• [08:15] - Discovering Flaws in Our Heroes
• [11:00] - How Our Past Shapes Us
• [14:00] - Personal Stories: Neighbors and Brokenness
• [18:30] - The Hope Beyond Our Mess
• [21:00] - The First Family and Fractured Creation
• [24:00] - God’s Plan for Restoration
• [27:00] - Jesus Unites the Divided
• [30:00] - The Church as God’s Display
• [33:00] - Kintsugi: Beauty in Brokenness
• [36:00] - How Healing Happens: Atonement, Attunement, Attachment
• [40:00] - Why Your Participation Matters
• [43:00] - Prayer and Sending

Bible Reading

Ephesians 1:5, 7 (NIV) — > He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will... In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Ephesians 2:14-16 (NIV) — > For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Ephesians 3:6, 10, 16-19 (NIV) — > This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus... His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms... I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Observation Questions

1. According to Ephesians 1:5, what was God’s plan for us before we were even born? How does this relate to the idea of being adopted into God’s family? ([33:21])
2. In Ephesians 2:14-16, what did Jesus do to the “dividing wall of hostility” between people? What does this mean for how we relate to each other in the church? ([54:36])
3. The sermon talked about how our biological families and pasts influence us, but don’t have to determine our future. What examples did the pastor give from his own family or neighbors to illustrate this? ([36:17])
4. What is the purpose of the church, according to Ephesians 3:10? How is this different from just “attending” church? ([57:46])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon compared God’s family to the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is mended with gold. What does this illustration say about how God views our brokenness and our stories? ([57:46])
2. The pastor mentioned that “where we are from always influences where we end up, but never determines where we end up.” How does this truth offer hope for people with painful or messy family backgrounds? ([47:40])
3. Ephesians 2:14-16 says Jesus “made the two groups one.” What are some real-life barriers or “walls” that exist in churches today, and how might Jesus want to break them down? ([54:36])
4. The sermon described three steps to healing: atonement (forgiveness), attunement (new thinking), and attachment (safe community). Why are all three necessary for true restoration in God’s family? ([01:04:21])

Application Questions

1. The pastor shared stories about “Freddie” (an easy neighbor to love) and “Tommy” (a difficult one). Who is a “Tommy” in your life right now? What would it look like to bring your struggles with that person honestly to God and to your church family, instead of pretending everything is fine? ([41:39])
2. Think about your own family story—are there parts that you wish you could hide or forget? How might God want to use those “cracks” to show his grace and bring healing, both to you and to others? ([36:17])
3. The sermon said, “We don’t just attend church; we are the family of God.” What is one way you could move from being a spectator to a participant in your church family this month? ([01:10:03])
4. Forgiveness (atonement) is the first step to healing. Is there someone in your life—family, friend, or church member—you need to forgive or ask forgiveness from? What’s one small step you could take this week toward that? ([01:04:21])
5. Attunement means shifting your mindset. Are there old patterns of thinking or reacting from your family of origin that you want to leave behind? What new way of thinking do you sense God inviting you into? ([01:04:21])
6. Attachment is about creating safe, vulnerable community. What would help you feel safer to be real about your struggles in your small group or church? How can you help create that kind of space for others? ([01:04:21])
7. The pastor said, “When you don’t show up, when you don’t engage, when you don’t participate, we’re not whole.” What holds you back from fully engaging in your church family? What’s one thing you could do to take a step forward? ([01:10:03])